Forbidden Love
by KelseyKawaiixo
Summary: Gabriella Lopez is the youngest member of the Lopez clan, and the younger sister of Hector and Angelo Lopez, the leader and co-leader of The Carnales. Even though Gabriella has nothing to do with her brothers' gang, she is still a prime target for the other gangs in Stillwater. On the other hand, a shopping trip with her best friend Lin changes her life..but will it be for good..?
1. Chapter One

The sunrays crept through the crack in my luxurious, silk curtains that May morning, forcing me awake. My eyelids fluttered open, and I glanced at my alarm clock. "Ten past nine" I mumbled lowly, allowing myself some time to stretch. I tensed my toes as I stretched my body, then released. I threw both legs out of the bed, running my hands over the beautiful, silk bed sheets. The rest of my body followed shortly after, and I allowed my feet to touch the cold wooden floors at last.

I picked up my cell from my bedside locker, noting that I had 10 texts and two missed calls from my best friend, Lin. I giggled at each text, which contained at least two swear words. If my brothers knew I was hanging around with such a vulgar person, they would be mad for sure. Allow me some time to introduce myself. I am Gabriella Lopez, the sister of Hector and Angelo Lopez. It may surprise you to know that their gang business (which they inherited from my father), was entirely their own and I had no say in the matters they addressed. Not only because I'm a woman, but more so because I didn't want to be involved in that sort of thing.

I always felt conscious about leaving the house with them. There always seemed to be trouble with it. So I usually stayed back in the villa while they were off gallivanting and causing trouble. Usually, though, they spent their days discussing gang matters outside on the patio at a round, white plastic table I purchased for Angelo's anniversary with Luz. Four years and still going strong, their relationship wasn't exactly the greatest. I thrived for a much better relationship. Though I knew Luz was in it for the money and the designer gear, I somewhat enjoyed her company. Even though we were two completely different people.

If you ever wanted to find Luz, you would find her lounging about on a sunlounger in our yard, with a thong bikini on and some designer shades. Me, on the other hand, would be sitting in the living room watching F.R.I.E.N.D.S with a bowl of popcorn and some chocolate. Luz often asked my secret for remaining at a petite size 8, while still stuffing my face. My response was always the same "fast metabolism". I had apparently inherited that from my mother, who I didn't remember because she died when I was a year old from breast cancer.

Going back to the story, I typed a reply back to Lin swiftly, who had asked me to join her out shopping. Of course, I was quick to accept. I had been lounging around the house in the PJ's for two days at that point, and I needed a day out before I became stir crazy. I made my way out to the bathroom, considering I was the unfortunate one who /didn't/ get an en-suite, and bumped into Manuel. Manuel Orejuela was a complete and utter pervert in my eyes. Being only twenty, I was the perfect target for his perversion. Of course, my brother Angelo was always quick to stop his flirting. I hoped he was somewhere around, though I could hear him speaking outside. "Hello, gorgeous" he smirked, eyeing me up in my shorts and t-shirt. I had never felt so revealing in my entire life.

"Hello, Manuel" I said, smiling kindly and hoping he would go about his business. I was wrong. "Where you off to, then?" He asked, leaning against the freshly painted walls. Gosh, could Angelo kill him already? "Bathroom" I told him "I need to shower, I'm meeting a friend for shopping in an hour. It was nice talking to you, Manuel". With that, I power walked down the hall to the bathroom and locked myself inside. I took in a deep breath of relief, allowing myself to gather some towels. I turned on the water, feeling it to see if it was the perfect temperature, before stripping bare.

I stepped into the shower, letting the lukewarm water soak my hair and body, before reaching for the razor. I shaved my legs carefully, then washed my hair and body. Once finished, I realized I forgot my clothes. I rolled my eyes, heart thumping as I hoped Manuel was gone. Once I had wrapped a towel around my petite frame, I headed back to my room, with thankfully no sign of Manuel. Once inside, I picked out a black, ruffled mini skirt, which I paired with a plain white tee and a heart locket my brother Hector bought for my eighteenth birthday. I slipped my black and white converse on my feet, and picked up my handbag. With that, I headed back to the bathroom to do my make-up and grab my laundry. Once I was fully prepared and had blowdried my hair and tied it into a neat bun, I made my way downstairs to the backyard.

Angelo's eyes met mine and he smiled gently, patting the seat beside him. "Where's Hector?" I questioned, taking my eldest brother's usual seat. "He went out for a while, just to the mall". "Damn, I could have got a lift off him" I sighed, running my hands under my shirt to fix my bra. I noticed Manuel smirking at me, and Angelo seemed to notice, too. "I'll take you, come on" he coughed, motioning with his head towards the garage. I thanked him, before nodding at Manuel who was still smirking widely. Once inside my brother's amazing sports car, he began to drive me to the mall. I was about to speak of Manuel, but he got there first. "I don't like the way he looks at you, sister" he sighed, speeding down the road. "Me neither, Angelo" I groaned "it's scary". He rested a reassuring hand on mine, before returning it to the wheel. "He won't try anything, but if he does..call me immediately" he told me "please". I nodded "of course, Angelo. To be honest I wouldn't trust Hector to come to my aid". "He would" he responded quickly " but..you and I are closer in age, it's best you call me". I replied with a small nod, understanding where he was coming from.

Before long, we pulled up outside the mall. I hugged him, before exiting the car and making my way inside to find Lin. I found her immediately, standing outside Leather and Lace. I rolled my eyes, watching as she eyed the lace bras in their window. I paused in the middle of the mall once I noticed she was not alone. A tall, broad man with brown hair stood beside her, with an unlit cigarette in his mouth and facing the other way. I immediately felt shy. I was a complete virgin, thanks to my brothers. If Hector saw me..

"Ah! There you are, bitch!" Called Lin. Fuck. She rushed to me, pulling me into the tightest hug ever recorded. I stiffened, not out of discomfort from her hug, but because the man was staring at me. I let my arms wrap around her gently. She took my hand, pulling me over to said man. "Gab, this is Troy. Troy this is Gab" she chirped. "Hi" I squeaked out. "Sup" he replied, holding out his hand. I took it, and felt the electricity run up my arm. I shook it quickly, startled by the shock. He seemed to feel it, too, because his eyes widened a little. "Anywhere you wanna go, Gab? I hope you don't mind Troy joining us". I shook my head "of course not" while our wide eyes were still connected. "Cool" she smiled, taking my arm "where do you wanna go?". "I was hoping we could grab a bite" I said, finally removing my gaze from his "I'm starving". She nodded, and we began to walk towards Apollo's. How awkward.


	2. Chapter Two

Before long, we stood outside Apollo's. I stared intensely at the menu, though I could feel Troy's eyes on me. It didn't make me feel uncomfortable because he was like Manuel—completely unattractive and perverted. It made me feel uncomfortable because he was the exact opposite. He was purely gorgeous.

"What you getting?" Lin asked, fixing her tracksuit bottoms around her waist properly. "I think I'll just stick with a chicken burger" I announced, handing her five bucks. She took it and smiled, winking at me. I knew what she was implying. She was implying that Troy fancied me, but although he was looking at me constantly I wasn't buying it. I may have never been in a relationship, but I knew what boys were like. They were sex driven assholes with a lack of education on what girls /actually/ wanted.

Troy approached me. I was half expecting him to wrap his arm around me and call me baby, but he didn't. Instead, he leaned against the trashcan behind us and said "You're not very talkative, are you?". I could feel my cheeks heat up, as I stared intensely at the menu once more. He chuckled when I didn't reply "I guess we can't be friends, then?". "No, I'm sorry!" I stammered out, turning to face him "I'm just not used to boys". He seemed surprised by my response, but smirked a little once the shock subsided, which didn't take too long.

"What's that supposed to mean?" He questioned, though I knew he knew. "I'm just a complete and utter virgin" I shrugged, biting the inside of my lip. He chuckled a jolly chuckle, and sighed "if it makes you feel better, I've only ever been with one girl, and she cheated". "Damn, I'm sorry" I sighed "people can be so cruel. But hey, we got each other right? And Lin". This perked him up, and he smiled kindly "Of course". I was starting to feel comfortable in Troy's company. He was so lovely, I could hardly believe it.

Soon later, our food was ready and Lin approached us with a tray. She ushered us towards a bench, handing me my chicken burger and nomming on a quarter pounder with extra cheese. Troy had made it clear on the way to Apollo's that he wasn't hungry, but then started to complain of hunger, so he went and got some chips.

"You like him" Lin smirked, turning towards me excitedly as soon as he walked away. "Shh!" I snapped. "So you do!?" She exclaimed, giggling like a schoolgirl. I shook my head "No, we're friends". "BUT NO! He's so into you" she smiled "please Gab, give him a chance. Troy is such a wonderful guy. His ex cheated on him". "I know. Look, if he shows interest in me, then maybe. If not, I'm not making the first move". She smirked, as if a plan was bubbling in her mind. "Okay then" she replied, and turned away to continue eating her burger.

After shopping around Stillwater shopping mall for an hour, Troy expressed his boredom. I found this quite odd, considering he was apparently 'into me'. If that was the case, wouldn't he want to spend more time with me? I underestimated his abilities, though. Lin said she had to head home anyway, so she headed towards the car park and I gave Angelo a text. He replied that he would be there in twenty, so Troy offered to wait with me. Of course, I was a bit reluctant. My brothers were extremely protective, and if they knew I was with a man I feared what they might do.

"I don't think that's a good idea, Troy" I persisted, as he walked towards the exit. "Why not?" He questioned, popping an unlit cigarette into his mouth. "Well, you see, my brother's might get the wrong idea". He chuckled "well I guess I'm going to have to ask you here, then". I raised an eyebrow in confusion, wondering what he was going to say next. "I was wondering if you would..uh..maybe..like to see a movie with me tomorrow night?". I giggled, then realized what he was asking. He was asking me on a DATE. My first date! I silently cursed Lin, knowing she had done this. Though in that moment I found myself staring into his beautiful, dark eyes, and I couldn't bring myself to decline the date. "Yes, I would love that" I responded, realising I had left a silence for far too long. "Are you sure you want to? You're not just saying that?" He asked. "I'm positive" I said, waving him away "I'll meet you there at 6". "Hey, no. I'll collect you. Where do you live?". "I live at the villa in Ezpata". For some reason unknownst to me at the time, his eyes widened. I know now this was because he now knew I was a Lopez, a possible enemy. Though his eyes softened when I gazed into his once more. Perhaps his feelings got the better of him. "I'll pick you up at 6". I grinned, watching as he walked away before making my way outside myself to meet my brother.

On the way home, I couldn't help but smile. Angelo kept glancing at me, and I felt like I should tell him. In fact, I figured it would be smart, considering he would be picking me up. "What has you so happy? Not that it's a bad thing" he chuckled, remembering how annoyed I was about Manuel that morning. I shrugged, then turned a little to face him "don't get mad, okay?". He nodded slowly, though I could tell he was unsure. "I got a date with a boy". He swerved the car a little, obviously in shock. "What!?" He exclaimed, anger flaring up in his tanned face. "I..uh.." I shivered. "No. No way. Cancel it, joder (fuck) Gabriella! You're too young!". I felt the tears pricking in my eyes "But Hermano (brother), please" I begged, my bottom lip quivering as I held back the tears "I like him". He took a few deep breaths "I'm sorry, hermanita (little sister). I'm just worried".

"I know Angelo" I said, resting a reassuring hand on his shoulder "but even if he hurts me, I'll have learned my lesson and will be one step closer to having a good relationship. Don't you want me to be happy?". "Of course!" He exclaimed "more than anything, more than the gang's success". I smiled happily "so I can go?". He stayed silent for a moment, his eyes transfixed on the road "okay then. I want to meet him, though". "I'm sure he won't mind" I grinned, sitting back in my seat and feeling relieved.

Once we returned to the house, I skipped out of the garage. Angelo followed suit, his face still red from before. I could tell he was so worried. "You better tell Hector, or he'll kill him when he comes asking for you" he warned. I nodded, skipping over to Hector. "Hermano" I smiled, standing before him. He looked up at me from signing some papers for the Columbians, and then sat back. "What has you so giddy?" He asked suspiciously. "I got a date!" I exclaimed excitedly. "What..?" He questioned lowly, though I seen the anger taking over his features. "It's fine, Hector. We will speak with him before the date". "Please don't scare him, though. I like him a lot" I begged. I watched as Manuel eyed me up, clearly butthurt about how I didn't choose him.

Hector also took a few deep breaths, just like Angelo had in the car. "Fine. But you're only nineteen, so no dirty things. Okay?". I rolled my eyes "duh". "I mean it, Gabriella" he warned "no dirty things". Even though I WAS nineteen, I was going to respect my brother's wishes. Also, I had made my promise to myself and God that I would only have sex when I felt he was the right guy. "I'm going inside to watch a movie" I smiled, seeing as it was only half 2. "Enjoy" Angelo smiled gently, taking a seat and letting out an exhausted sigh.

So inside I went, and noticed Luz sitting watching a Spanish soap opera. She didn't notice me until I said "hello Luz". She jumped a little, then laughed "Oh Gab, you scared me! Sit with me" she smiled. "Sorry" I giggled, flopping down beside her. "How was your day?" She asked, once the credits hit a moment later. "Oh, I got a date" I smiled. She had been taking a sip of her wine, and had almost choked on it "What? Do your brother's know?". "Of course. They took it pretty well" I told her, standing up to go make popcorn. "Want help with an outfit?" She asked "I can give you a hand once my soaps are done". "Sure, thank you Luz"I grinned, making my way to make popcorn and then join her watching her shows.


	3. Chapter Three

Three hours and like, five boring Spanish shows later, Luz and I made our way upstairs to my bedroom. I pushed open my bedroom door, noticing a few things out of place. "My room looks a little messed" I told Luz "was anyone in here?". She looked around and shrugged "I don't think so. Maybe ask your brothers later. For now, let's pick out a nice outfit for a cinema date". I shrugged it off, making my way towards my wardrobe and pulling out a few clothing items.

"I really appreciate the help, Luz. I really don't know what to do or what to expect from this" I told her. She nodded "no problem sweetie, I'll help you out" while looking at one of my tops. It was emerald green with silver rhinestones around the collar. "This would look beautiful with some black jeans. Have you got any?". I nodded, pulling out a pair of black super skinny jeans. She gasped with delight "perfect!". She then proceeded in rummaging through my shoe basket and picked out some black pumps. "I love it, thanks Luz" I grinned, staring down at the outfit as she placed it on my bed.

"No problem, hun" she grinned, clearly proud of herself. "Now, I'm sure you'll have a lot of questions considering it's your first date". "Well, I was thinking..what's it like to kiss someone?". She giggled "It kinda comes naturally, you know?". I nodded along with her. "You just do whatever your body tells you to do". "Okay, and what if I don't like him after tonight? Do I tell him?". "Of course" she told me, resting a hand on my shoulder "but you seemed pretty excited, so maybe you will like him a lot". I giggled "he is nice". "Good" she said, standing up "well, dinner should be ready soon".

With that, we proceeded in making our way downstairs for dinner. Angelo and Hector were sitting comfortably at our dining table. Luz sat one side of Angelo, while I sat the other. Luz explained how we had been picking out an outfit for my date. Even though Angelo seemed angry about it still, he smiled gently and nodded. Hector, on the other hand, sorta lost the plot, though not more than usual. "I don't want to hear about this date anymore, not until I meet him". I nodded slowly, slightly disappointed in my brother's disinterest. I let it slide, Hector was pretty scary. Our personal chef Roberto placed our meal before us, and we dug in.

I ate in silence, as the other's spoke among themselves. "What's wrong, Gab?" Angelo called suddenly. I looked up at him "Nothing, I'm just sleepy". "Lies Gabriella! Don't tell lies" he snapped, then his face softened. "I'm just worried" I sighed "feeling alone in this". Angelo eyed Hector, who sighed. "Why worried?" He asked. I felt uncomfortable saying it, but I spilled out every emotion about my date with Troy. "It will be fine, don't worry about it" smiled Angelo. "You're a beautiful girl, he's lucky" Hector said then. "Agreed. If he turns out to be an asshole, tell him to fuck off" grinned Luz. I instantly felt better. Way better. "Thanks guys, I'm going to get an early night". "Alright baby, love you" Angelo said, sitting back in his chair. "Love you too, Hermano".

As I lay in bed, I couldn't bring myself to sleep with nerves. I tossed and turned until half five in the morning before I eventually fell asleep. When I woke up the following morning, I had three congratulations texts from Lin. Troy had obviously told her about our date. I rolled my eyes and ignored them, making my way downstairs to get some breakfast. Manuel sat outside, and he immediately spotted me in the kitchen. I tried my best to ignore him and just get my cereal, but he came up behind me and whispered in my ear "I'm taking Luz shopping tonight, want to come?". I jumped away from him, spilling some milk in the process.

"I'm busy tonight, Manuel" I told him "You know that". He snorted a little "a date? What's so special about him?". "How about the fact that he's my age?" I laughed, patting the counter dry with a tea towel. Manuel growled, slapping the bowl from my hand and causing it to crack on the tiled floor. I gasped a little, still from shock. Manuel stormed off, leaving me to clean up the mess. I tried my best to forget about it. I didn't want to mess up my brothers' deal with the Columbians, so I didn't want to tell Angelo. I knew he had warned me to tell him if anything happened, but I just couldn't. Had Manuel been in my room yesterday? I shook my head, ignoring my own thoughts as I scrambled to clean up before my brothers came downstairs. I succeeded, as I was just pouring myself more cereal when Hector came in. He smiled at me, patting my back before exiting the house and sitting out back with Manuel, who by the looks of it was still sulking.

I didn't understand his sudden violent actions. Manuel I knew was a pervert, but I didn't see him ever being violent towards me. I was worried for my safety, but kept my mouth shut about it. Before long, I was joined in the kitchen by Luz. She asked why I wasn't eating breakfast outside, since I usually joined Hector and Manuel. I shrugged "It's a little cold out". She eyed me suspiciously, but then grabbed a bagel and began to toast it. "You still nervous?" She asked. Ah yes, my date. "Of course" I laughed "especially with brothers like mine". She giggled, just as Angelo walked into the kitchen. He sat beside me, letting out a sleepy sigh before reaching across the table and taking my hand. That's when his eyebrows furrowed. "What?" I questioned, glancing down at my hand. There was blood, and a lot of it too.

"What happened to you!?" He yelled, pointing at the tea towel I had wiped the counter with earlier. Luz grabbed it quickly, throwing it at him. He took it, and began to gently stop the bleeding. "I..don't know" I told him, looking away out the window. He sniffed the towel. "Why is this towel destroyed with milk?" He then asked. "Okay Angelo" I began "I'm sorry. I dropped a bowl, and the milk got everywhere so I cleaned it quickly with the towel" I lied. He sighed "that's okay, baby girl. Just be more careful". I nodded slowly, standing up and placing my empty bowl in the dishwasher "I'll be upstairs".

I hurried up the stairs, noticing that Angelo had managed to stop the bleeding. I lay on my bed for ten minutes contemplating what to do about Manuel. What if he got worse the more I rejected him? What if he killed me? I let out a sigh, then heard a light tap on my door. "Come on" I said, sitting up. Manuel stepped in, fixing his collar and closed the door gently behind him. I stood up quickly, fixing my shorts before eyeing him. I half expected him to apologize, but he stepped towards me with a violent rage in his eye. "You listen here little girl" he muttered "If you dare tell your brothers about this morning, I'll personally kill you". His growl was low, so nobody could possibly hear him. "What makes you think I'm afraid of you?" I asked him. He took my throat in his huge hand, pushing me back onto the bed. I struggled beneath him, gasping for air and twitching from the pain. He pressed his body up against mine "Don't, or you'll regret it". With that, he stood, releasing my throat. He left immediately, and I rushed to my bedroom mirror only to see a bright red hand mark on my throat. I gagged a little, because he had been turned on and I had felt him against me. Before long, I had to rush to the bathroom to puke.

By the time it was five O'Clock, I had stopped crying and put some make-up on to hide my tear stained face. I was in danger whether I told Angelo or not, but I wanted to enjoy my date with Troy and not be a mopy cunt. I got dressed, done the usual stuff and before long the doorbell rang. I composed myself in the mirror, practicing a smile to make sure I could pull it off before jogging down the stairs. Angelo was at the door already, though, and had just opened it when I reached the bottom step. Troy stood there, wearing a grey shirt with dark blue jeans. He looked really handsome. He smiled at Angelo, before smiling at me quite lovingly. I giggled, joining Angelo at the door. Angelo seemed happy for me. In fact, I was shocked when he said "have fun, and don't stay out too late. Half twelve at the latest". I kissed his cheek, which he returned before promising I wouldn't be too late home.

Troy took my hand the minute Angelo closed the door. "Your brother, right?" He questioned. "Yes" I told him "his name is Angelo". This didn't seem like news to him, because he replied with "well, he seems cool". It made me a little suspicious, because usually people would say "cool, I like that name" or something, or maybe ask a few questions like "what does he do?'. Troy didn't ask any questions, he just opened the passenger side of the car and let me jump in. He hopped in the drivers side, started the car and set off towards the movie theatre. We were there in five minutes, and had our seats and popcorn in fifteen. We watched some cheesy romance film that I wasn't really interested in. I was more interested in Troy, and I spent almost the whole movie hoping he liked me and was going to spend more time with me after the movie ended. I expected him to hold my hand or kiss me during the film, which didn't happen because he was so engrossed in it. It made me worried that he didn't like me, but after the movie ended he took me to the pier.

It was quite a drive, but I didn't mind. We sat on the sand for a while, not caring how sandy we got. We talked about life in general, and it seemed to me like Troy was hiding a part of himself. I didn't question him, though. I liked him, and I was enjoying his company far too much to make him uncomfortable in any way. I figured that if we got closer, he'd trust me with whatever secrets he held in his heart. I stood after chatting for a few moments, looking out at the water. The tide was coming in, but I wanted to dip my feet in the sea. I tugged at his hand "come on, I wanna dip my feet in the water". He chuckled, standing and taking my hand as we walked towards the water. We pranced around in the water and laughed for ten minutes before he pulled me into him.

I blushed furiously, knowing he was going to kiss me. "Have you ever been kissed before?" He asked, his lips inches from mine. I shook my head, and I was pretty sure he could hear my heart. "Well you're about to" he announced, before our lips met in a short but sweet kiss. I giggled when he pulled away "that wasn't so bad, I don't know what I was so nervous about". He planted yet another kiss on my lips "exactly, cutie". With that, he took my hand and led me back to the car. "We better get you home" he told me "or else I'm dead meat". I felt a little disappointed that I couldn't stay with him longer, but I knew he was right. Angelo would be so mad if I came home any later than I was going to.

Once we pulled up outside my house, he smirked at me and kissed my cheek "goodnight, I'll see you soon". "You're not just saying that, right?" I asked him. He chuckled, kissing my lips "no, I'm not. Lin is organizing another shopping trip so I'll see you then". I didn't want to get out of the car in case it was the last time we saw each other, but the look in his eyes screamed "we'll see each other again". So I smiled warmly at him, and jumped from his car. He waited until Angelo opened the door before leaving, waving and driving slowly as if he too didn't want to say goodbye. "How did it go?" Angelo asked as I stepped inside. I turned to him, with my hand on my heart and said "magically".


	4. Chapter Four

"I'm glad to hear it" Angelo smiled, resting his hands on my shoulders "but be careful, hermana. You are not ready to be a mother yet". "Angelo!" I exclaimed, a dark blush covering my tanned cheeks "I know that!". He chuckled, rolling his eyes playfully "I am just saying". Just then, Manuel emerged from the kitchen. He looked cross, but he just nodded at Angelo and left through the front door.

"I don't like him" I said almost automatically. My eyes flickered to my older brother, sort of frightened at how he would react to that statement. "Me neither" he mumbled "but we must do this deal. If we fuck it up, Hector will be so mad. That's another thing I have been meaning to say to you". He turned to look at me dead in the eyes "don't tell your new boyfriend who we are, okay? It could mess things up if he has any connections". "Of course" I smiled "I wouldn't ever tell anyone".

He smiled slightly, patting my shoulders "you are a good girl, Gabriella. Always remain like that". With that, he turned and walked away from me. I was confused as to what he meant, but I didn't ask. Instead, I walked upstairs to my bedroom and kicked off my shoes as soon as I entered the room. I closed the door behind me, falling down onto my bed and sighing happily. I felt a feeling in my heart that I had never felt before. Was I falling in love with Troy?

I giggled at that thought, like a tween girl. Though my smile faded instantly, realising that nothing was final yet. Troy could still end up not liking me, though he seemed keen. I would have to wait and see. I rolled over onto my side, and ended up falling asleep for about two hours. When I woke up, I sighed, feeling exhausted but uncomfortable. I changed into my pyjamas, then turned out the lights and crawled under the cool covers. A lightning storm started outside just then, so I hopped out of bed and opened my curtains a little.

I watched the thunderstorm, smiling every time a bolt of light flew across the sky. It was so dangerous, yet beautiful. Kind of like my feelings for Troy. It was dangerous because of who I was related to, but beautiful because it felt that way. I thought about the way he kissed me. His lips seemed to fit perfectly against mine, and they were so soft and tender. I was definitely falling so madly in love. I just hoped it wouldn't come crumbling down.

Moments later, the storm seemed to stop. I smiled a little, feeling slightly disappointed that it had stopped, but closed the curtains once again and hopped underneath the covers. I snuggled down, sighing contently. My thoughts were filled with Troy as my eyes slipped shut and I finally fell asleep.

Two days passed before I heard anything from Troy. I won't lie, I felt extremely nervous. I sat outside on the patio sunbathing when I heard my phone beeping beside me. I quickly checked it, and saw Troy's name pop up on the screen. I giggled excitedly, and noticed Angelo watching me with a small smile on his lips. I coughed nervously, then opened the text. He said he wanted to see me again, and apologised for not texting as he was busy. I texted him back asking him if he wanted to meet up that very day. He agreed, and I told him he could come and meet my family. He agreed instantly, which I was very happy about...and then went upstairs to shower and get dressed out of my bikini. It was perfect timing, because ten minutes after I was completely ready, Manuel arrived.

I was nervous for him to meet Troy incase he said anything weird, but when I announced he was coming over, they told me some ground rules. I was NOT to mention Los Carnales AT ALL. I was NOT to speak of any of our plans if he already knew. I was NOT to mention the deal with the Columbians, and I was not to let him inside Angelo or Hector's bedrooms. I agreed to these terms happily. Besides, I didn't want Troy knowing that my brother's ran a gang here in StillWater. It might have scared him off.

So an hour later, the doorbell chimed. I ran towards it, answering it immediately. Troy stood there in all his glory, smiling brightly at me as soon as he saw me "it's nice to see you again". Those six words made my heart bounce "come in. It's nice to see you too". "Nice pad you've got here" he said, stepping inside.

"Thank you" I giggled. "You must be very rich" he said, turning to look at me. "Uh..yeah. Mother and Father left some money" I smiled. "Some?" he chuckled, reaching for my hand and kissing it. I felt my cheeks heat up immediately, but then Hector and Angelo called for me from the backyard. "Come meet my family properly" I said, taking his hand in mine. He squeezed it gently "cool". I practically pulled him outside, all excited for him to meet my brothers and (not) Manuel.

I noticed that Victor was now sitting with them, and Luz was now in my place sunbathing. "Good afternoon, sirs" Troy smiled, shaking their hands after he released mine. "It's nice to finally meet you" Hector said to him "we have heard so, so much about you". Troy looked surprised "really?". "She never quits talking about you" Angelo chuckled "we have not seen her this happy since our parents died".

"Well..I'm honoured" Troy smiled, turning to look at Victor. Victor nodded at him, and Troy returned the nod. "Oh!" Luz exclaimed, standing up and strutting over to Troy. Even though I knew she wasn't trying to flirt with him, I couldn't help but feel a little jealous as she was wearing her usual, maroon g-string bikini. Troy didn't seem bothered though. Thankfully. "Good to meet you, Troy. I have heard so much about you" she said, shaking his hand. Troy shook her hand in return "It's nice to meet you too, Miss". "Aw!" she exclaimed, turning to look at me "he's sweet!". "This is Luz" I said to him "she's my brother's girlfriend". "Which brother?" Troy asked. "Angelo" Hector said, pointing to Angelo "definitely not my type". Luz huffed, returning to her lounger.

"Anyway" I mumbled "let's go do something else". "Is everything alright, Hermana?" Angelo asked me. "Yes"I smiled, taking a hold of Troy's sleeve and pulling him away. We sat down on the couch and turned on a movie, and Troy started asking me questions about my family. "Your brothers seem rich" he said. I tensed up a little "yeah, they are". "Do they have jobs?" he further questioned. "Yes" I lied. I really didn't want him to know about the gang business...

"They must be doctors or somethin' to be able to live like this" he chuckled. I giggled nervously, not confirming nor denying anything. I found a station with a Spanish romance movie on it. I laughed "I guess you wouldn't be interested in this". "Nah - let's watch it" he said, wrapping an arm around me and pulling me into him. I placed the remote beside me and then snuggled up close to him. He felt so warm...he was so perfect.

We watched the movie in silence, and of course the couple ended up together in the end - with a dramatic kiss. Troy pulled away from me and cupped my face in his hands, pressing his lips to mine passionately. I hummed against his lips, leaning in closer to him and placing a hand on his large arm. As soon as the dramatic music ended (seconds later), he pulled back and rested his forehead on mine "your lips feel so soft".

I smiled "so do yours". "I like you a lot" he confessed "I've never felt like this". "Me neither" I said truthfully "ever". He looked around the room before looking back at me "how would you feel about going to the beach?". "Now?" I blinked. "Yes" he nodded. "Sure" I smiled, standing up and following him outside to his car. I should have told Angelo and Hector but I had forgotten, and I left straight away with Troy.

"So...what about you?" I asked him. "Hm?" he asked as he turned his car on "what about me?". "What do you do?" I asked. He tensed up a little "I...I am unemployed". "Oh?" I said, raising a brow. "I live close to my parents and they take care of my rent" he said. "Are you sure you're unemployed?" I giggled "You can tell me the truth, I won't be mad or anything".

He turned the car off, letting out a soft sigh "If I tell you, you'll get the wrong idea". "Why would i get the wrong idea?" I questioned. "Because of your brothers" he said "Gabriella, I know who they are". My eyes widened slightly, gulping back some saliva "oh". "It's fine. I know why you would lie about it" he sighed again "listen, I'm not here to try to interfere in your brother's shit or anythin'...but I...am a cop".

"A cop...?" I gasped. "Yeah" he said, looking at me with his wonderful dark eyes "I am an undercover cop with the Saints...". "Oh my God" I gasped. "Gab...". "I have to go" I said, opening the car door and unbuckling my seatbelt. "No!" he exclaimed, and I froze in my seat "I genuinely like you..the moment Lin told me all about you I knew you sounded wonderful, but the moment I met you I liked you so much".

"What is your plan exactly?" I asked him, blinking back the tears. "My..plan?" he asked, a confused look on his face. "Are you helping the saints break up my brother's deal with the Columbians?" I asked him. "No" he shook his head "okay yes". "Oh God"I sighed "I should have known it was too good to be true".

"It's not!" he exclaimed "please close the car door. We can talk about it someplace else". I got out of the car, slamming the car door and walking up to the front of my house once more. He drove off, leaving me standing at the door. He didn't try to get me to get back into the car, he didn't run up the driveway and grab me and kiss me...like in the Telenovelas.

That's when it hit me, stupid, naive me...telenovela's aren't real...and men walk away all the time...


	5. Chapter Five

The next few weeks passed by painfully slow. I didn't hear from Troy, nor did I want to. Okay, so maybe I did...but he was gone. Did he use me this whole time to get information about my brothers and their deal with the Columbians?

Lin had contacted me a few times asking what happened between Troy and I. I didn't reply..I couldn't tell her such a thing. Though one cool day, I decided to contact her and ask her to hang out. I wasn't going to tell her about Troy being a cop- that was his business. She was very happy to hear from me and so Angelo dropped me off outside the shopping mall. "Remember" he smiled as I jumped out of the car "be careful and call me if you need me".

"Thanks, Angelo" I smiled, getting out of the car and meeting Lin at the entrance. "Good morning" Lin said sternly "you've been MIA for so long". "I apologise" I sighed "I just...we'll talk inside". Lin nodded, taking a hold of my sleeve and pulling me into the mall. We went to leather and lace and she started to look at G-strings, which definitely weren't my style.

"What happened with you and Troy?" she asked me, as she observed a turquoise lingerie set. I didn't reply for a moment. Instead, I observed a beautiful looking bra and thong set, though I didn't want to buy it. "Did you know Troy was in a gang?" I questioned her. She froze up. I took that as a yes. She placed the set back down. "Judging by your reaction I guess that confirms what I thought" I sighed. She sighed too "look..Gab...Troy really likes you". "What does that have to do with anything?" I asked her. "Well..Gab" she sighed again "I know who you are too".

"You do..?"I asked quietly "how?". She shook her head "I've seen your brothers in the papers...the moment I saw them I knew you were the sister of Los Carnales leader and co-leader". "Oh my God" I gasped "does that mean everyone knows?". "Probably everyone who has ever seen you with them, yes" she nodded.

I leaned against a pillar in the store and covered my face with my hands "I feel so terrible". "Don't" she said "Troy is...crazy about you". "You hesitated" I groaned. "Because I couldn't find the words to explain the look in his eyes. Gab...I...I met someone". "You have?!" I gasped, moving towards her and holding her by the shoulders. "Yes but...it's not important" she sighed "I think getting you and Troy back together is important too". "Well yes but who is this guy? Does he like you back?" I asked, more concerned about her guy in that moment. I had never heard Lin say that in all the years I'd known her.

"Yeah..I think he does" she shrugged "he's all over me, touching me and laughing at all the jokes I make. I'm just afraid". "Why?" I asked, quirking a brow. "Because he's with a gang" she said. "Oh" I gasped "the Saints?". "No" she shook her head "the Westside rollers..he's their mechanic". "Wow" I sighed "seems we're both falling for the wrong people". "Don't say that, Gab. Troy is cray about you".

"How do you know? Does he talk about me to you?" I scoffed. "Yes" she nodded. "...Really?" I asked quietly. "When have I ever lied to you?" she said, smiling softly at me. "Never" I said, smiling softly in return "which means I'll definitely take your advice on board. Hey...do you think you can ask him to...make up with me?". "Yes I most certainly will!" she cheered "but...". I watched her move over to some purple lingerie "maybe you'll need this". "God no!" I gasped. "Come on, Gab. Don't you think it's time you got rid of that burdensome virginity of yours?" she said, rolling her eyes "besides, Troy obviously likes purple". I blushed darkly, snatching it out of her hands and walking up to the counter "fine but only if you talk to him". "Of course" she smirked as she watched me walk up and pay for it.

Once we were out of there, we had some Freckle Bitches and then we said our goodbyes. Angelo tried to ask what I bought and tried to look in the bag but I snatched it away and said "underwear". He just coughed nervously and continued driving. Once we reached our home, I ran upstairs and hid the lingerie away in my underwear drawer before Luz could take a look. With that, I joined my brothers at the table outside. It was sunset, and our garden was illuminated with orange light. It looked insanely beautiful.

"How's Troy?" Angelo asked me as soon as I sat down. I decided against telling them we were over...since I had been hoping we would make up. "He's fine" I smiled. "He..hasn't been around" Angelo then continued "are you sure he's fine?". "Yeah..work has him occupied. He's a builder" I lied. "Wow!" Hector grinned "that's good money". "I heard" I said, smiling softly. Luz called Angelo from their bedroom balcony and so he excused himself from the table and made his way upstairs to her.

A small silence filled the air as Hector and I watched him leave. "Gab" he suddenly said. I looked at him immediately. He reached across the table and took my hands "I'll be meeting with the Columbians tomorrow". "That's great" I smiled "I hope all goes well". "I hope so too" he said, nodding "but with the Saints hanging around, I'm sure there'll be some kind of trouble".

I gulped "I hope not, brother". "Me too...but you never know. I just wanted to tell you that you are a very bright girl. You deserve much happiness, and don't settle for less than what you deserve. I've always cared about you, and wanted to protect you. Please..be careful". I felt my eyes tear up "that sounds like a goodbye rather than encouraging words". He chuckled, taking his hands away "I am not going to die yet, little sister". "Good" I said tearily "I'd be lost without you both".

Angelo returned then and I excused myself from the table, making my way into the kitchen to pour some water. I gulped it down, then placed the glass in the dishwasher and made my way upstairs. I needed an early night. All the worrying about what would happen with my brothers and the Columbians and then Troy made me feel so upset and overwhelmed.

That night I barely slept. When I did, I had indescribable nightmares. Though nothing was worse than the horrors the next day would bring...


End file.
